See a psychiatrist.

No, I don't think it is a psychiatric problem. It is more likely to be sleep-related. The brain plays odd tricks on us when we are slipping into that semi-conscious half asleep - half awake state and it is not uncommon to see or hear things or even to feel paralysed as we are emerging from sleep. I would see your doctor about this as a simple tricyclic such as Amitriptyline can help with this.

The other possibility is that it is an inner-ear disturbance that is manifesting itself as 'voices'. People sometimes experience this when they have a high temperature, too.

The very last thing to think of is that it is psychiatric as, if it were, you would have many other strange symptoms.

If you are hearing voices while awake, it is not a sleeping problem. I think you should see a doctor.

I have to get on the train with Marianne0558 on this one...........Hearing voices when ones AWAKE is not sleep related. How does this woman know voices are whats waking her up? She may be in such a sleep induced stage, she is dreaming, hence, she wakes up? You stated this has gone on for years, she very well may have an inner ear condition, which frequencies could play a part in what she called "voices". What are these voices telling her or saying to her? Just curious, if she hears them, then she should know what it being said? I'd still see a mental health professional just to rule out any possibility............

I agree, it is an odd one and I would like to know more about it!

If your 68 years old, and your hearing voices, im not being rude in anyway buut. That might just be the old age.

Hold the boat.................Cicatriz, 68 IS NOT OLD AGE......just wait til you hit 50... 70 looks real freakin YOUNG.....Not saying ignorance is playing a factor here, just sounds to me like this lady needs to see a mental health professional............hearing voices IS NOT NORMAL at any age. .......Cicatriz.........I love Frank Sinatra too! SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sweet!!!!!!!!!

Hearing voices at any age is not a "normal" experience. This deserves some further investigation with a psychiatrist.

Old age? Try 100. Middle age these days starts at 50 so 68 is middle aged. The average life span in the US is approximately 85.

Actually, a lot more people than you think have heard voices in their heads. About 10-15% of perfectly healthy people all over the world have this experience.

I am sure many people have auditory hallucinations as they are going in and out of sleep. I believe it is like background chatter more than voices being directed at the hearer. It is connected to certain sleep disturbances such as narcolepsy. Sometimes if I have a fever I hear this kind of racket in my head.

Incidentally, can anyone explain to me where the voices of schizophrenia actually emanate from? Is it the subconscious voice, the part of the mind that would normally present to us a thought rather than an auditory experience?

And thanks for the link above, futureshock - very interesting reading.

Yes, but they don't find it disturbing in any way. When a person complains about hearing voices, it means it's disturbing and it's not normal.